Bartleby Draft # 1

Essay # 2- Literary Analysis

ENG 102

Instructor- Laura Cline

“Bartleby, the Scrivener”

Herman Melville

            Bartleby is a double for the narrator in Melville’s story, showing the dark ineffectiveness of the lawyer’s sense of Christian charity, and the absurdity of his work.  The lawyer is an “unambitious” (Paragraph 3) man who has lived his life in the “easiest way” (Paragraph 3) possible.  His life up until this point had been a “safe” (Paragraph 3) one that has been all about him. Bartleby would become his charity case; a chance to try and make up for his dark and selfish life.

The morning that Bartleby came in to answer the advertisement, the Lawyer described him as, “pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn!” (Paragraph 15)  From the first moment he met Bartleby he knew that there was something wrong with him and yet he still decided to hire him.  The lawyer also must have been able to see that there was something not quite right in his own life and yet he does nothing to try and change it.  He is willing to settle for the easy/boring life.

For the first few days Bartleby did excellent work.  It wasn’t until he was asked to do more than just copy, that Bartleby started his mantra, “I would prefer not to.” (Paragraph 21)  The fact that the lawyer did not throw Bartleby out this very instance or at any of the other times Bartleby refused to do what he said, shows the Lawyers compassion for the sick man.  He is trying to do the “Christian” thing even though he would have never accepted this from his other employees.  Just like in his law practice, he is not ready to argue with Bartleby, it is easier to just ignore the situation and make a deal with the other employees to do the work. 

The Lawyer says that “there was something about Bartleby that not only strangely disarmed me, but in a wonderful manner touched and disconcerted me.” (Paragraph 35)  He is continually torn between feelings of anger, frustration, confusion, and pity.  And although he knows nothing about Bartleby’s history he can tell that he “means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary.” (Paragraph 53)  The lawyer is offering excuses for Bartleby and for himself.  He is putting up with his disobedience because he thinks he can’t help it; and if Bartleby is crazy, what can he do about it anyway?  Just like the lawyer’s life.  He has always taken the easy road, why turn a different corner now?

It was at this point in the story that the lawyer admits that he is helping Bartleby so that he can feel better about himself.  He writes, “Here I can cheaply purchase a delicious self-approval.  To befriend Bartleby; to humor him in his strange willfulness, will cost me little or nothing, while I lay up in my soul what will eventually prove a sweet morsel for my conscience.” (Paragraph 53)  He has spent so much time helping the rich men on Wall-street and very little time helping anyone else, including himself.  This is his chance to pay some big Karma debt. 

Throughout the rest of the story the Lawyer is surprisingly accepting of Bartleby’s stubborn attitude.  At first he seems to just not know what to do about it.  He is so surprised by Bartleby’s refusal to do what he asks that he does nothing to reprimand him.  Once he finds out that Bartleby is living in the office he starts to really pity him. “What miserable friendlessness and loneliness are here revealed!  His poverty is great; but his solitude, how horrible!” (Paragraph 88)  The fact that Bartleby is so alone really scares the lawyer.  He has a feeling of intense melancholy “for the first time in his life.” (Paragraph 89)  He is a lawyer!  How is this even possible?  Is he blind?  He has been fortunate enough to live the high life on Wall-street and somehow missed out on all the suffering in the world, I guess.           

When the lawyer is finally convinced that there is nothing physically wrong with Bartleby, he decides that “it was his soul that suffered”. (Paragraph 93)  I thought it was interesting that this is the time that he decides to confront Bartleby about the situation and ask him to leave if he would not provide the answers he desired.  He knows the man is not right in the head and has evidence that Bartleby really needs help and now he wants to argue.  And when Bartleby continues to offer no answers, it is time to kick him out. 

The rest of the story goes on about how to get Bartleby out of the building.  When the lawyer cannot figure it out, he moves out himself! He does offer to help Bartleby in any way he can and even offers for him to come home and live with him.  But Bartleby is obviously sick and cannot make these decisions himself.  This is where a true Christian would have acted on Bartleby’s behalf.  He did not have to end up dying alone in jail.  There had to be some kind of institution at that time where he could have gotten some help.  Instead, he took the easy road, again, and ran away.  



Melville, Herman. "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street."  Putnam’s Monthly. A Magazine of Literature, Science, and Art. New York [etc.], G. P. Putnam & Co. [etc.]. Vol. II—November 1853.—No. XI, pp. 546–557; Concluded Vol II.—December 1853.—No. XII, pp. 609–615. bartleby.com. July 1999. 01 Feb 2012 <http://www.bartleby.com/129/>